Lip-tile mounting



Dec. 27, 1966 J. T. ZELLERS, JR 3,294,514

LIP-TILE MOUNTING Filed Oct. 1'7, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

BY gwmwj waalq t. 20666 55 E am/1e ATTORNEYS J. T. ZELLERS, JR

LIP-TILE MOUNTING Dec. 27, was

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 I Filed Oct. 1'7. 1962 INVENTOR.

flower fi ala/1e ATTORNEYX 56 BY gd/medg idfamfic.

United States Patent 3,294,514 LIP-TILE MUUNTENG James T. Zeliers, .lr., Charleston, W. Va, assignor to Libbey-Gwens-Ford Glass Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ghio Filed Oct. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 231,208 11 Claims. (Cl. 65196) The present invention relates generally to the manufacture of sheet or window glass, and more particularly relates to an improved mounting for lip-tiles in a sheet glass drawing furnace.

A principal object of this invention is to provide an improved assembly for mounting a lip-tile in the drawing chamber of a sheet glass furnace, which assembly or mounting is effective to compensate for expansion of the lip-tile during service.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved mounting for a sheet glass furnace lip-tile formed of a plurality of refractory sections arranged side-by-side, which mounting is effective to resiliently urge the sections into contact with each other and maintain such contact during operation of the furnace regardless of expansion and contraction of the sections.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved mounting of the above nature which is characterized by its simplicity of construction and ease of installation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent during the course of the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, vertical cross sectional view taken along the longitudinal axis of a sheet glass drawing furnace including a lip-tile and mounting assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse, vertical sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the furnace;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one end of the lip-tile mounting;

FIG. 5 is a similar perspective view of the opposite end of the mounting;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal, sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a sectional lip-tile;

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of FIG 2;

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 10-10 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating the relative positions of certain of the mounting elements during assembly thereof; and

FIG. 12 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 1212 of FIG. 2.

With reference now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, the numeral 15 generally designates the outlet end of a continuous glass-melting tank furnace in which a mass of molten glass is provided, refined and cooled to proper working temperature. The molten glass, indicated by the numeral 16, flows from the cooling chamber 17 in the outlet end beneath the arch 18 of the furnace end wall 19 into a working receptacle or draw-pot 20 to form a relatively shallow pool of molten glass 21 from which a sheet or ribbon 22 is continuously drawn.

According to one known manner of sheet glass manu- Patented Dec. 27, 1966 ice facture, commonly referred to as the Colburn process, the sheet is drawn vertically upwardly from the pool of molten glass and is then passed about a roll, such as the bending roll 23, so that while still in a semi-plastic condition, although substantially set in its final sheet form, it is deflected into a horizontal plane and then passed over an intermediate roll 24- onto rolls 25 situated in a flattening chamber 26. The glass, in sheet or ribbon form, continues in its forward movement into and through an annealing lehr (not shown).

Generally speaking, in drawing apparatus of this well known character, the bending roll 23 and roll 24 are located in a drawing chamber 28, adjoining the flattening chamber 26, and defined by the furnace end wall 19, side walls 29 and 30, and a roof 31. Now, it is highly desirable that the sheet 22 be protected or shielded from blasts of hot air or products of combustion emanating from the furnace or draw-pot heating chambers. For this purpose, shielding members or lip-tiles are located above the drawpot to define a working area 32 in which the width of the newly formed sheet is established and maintained by oppositely disposed pairs of knurled rolls 33. Thus, a so-called front lip-tile 34 is positioned above the entry end of the draw-pot, where it is supported between the side walls 29 and 30 close to the furnace wall 19 and the outlet arch 18 thereof and a rear lip-tile, generally designated by the numeral 35, is situated in spaced relation to and above the rear end of the draw-pot 20. Also located within or adjacent the working area 32, as defined by the opposed vertical surfaces of the front and rear lip-tiles 34 and 35 respectively, are cooling devices 36 and 37 through which a coolant, such as water or air, is continuously circulated to absorb heat from the atmosphere adjacent the surfaces of the ribbon in a conventional manner, as well as to regulate the temperature of the bending roll 23.

To maintain the pool of molten glass 21 at the desired temperature, the draw-pot 20 is generally mounted on stools 39 in a substantially enclosed pot chamber 40 which is heated by suitable gas burners (not shown) and is connected by ducts 41 to an exhaust stack. Upon reference to FIG. 1, it will thus be noted that the lower surface at one end of the rear lip-tile 35 is not only subject to the influence of the hot exhaust gases from the pot chamber 40 but more importantly constitutes the actual barrier to insure that such gases do not objectionally flow from the chamber 40 into the drawing chamber 28 there above. This would contaminate the air in the chamber 28 with dirt and also tend to increase the temperature of the atmosphere in such chamber. In this respect, a metal partition 42 is preferably additionally provided to close the space between the rear lip-tile and the rear wall of the draw-pot and thereby prevent the escape of the hot exhaust gases into the vicinity of the newly formed glass ribbon.

The rear-tile 35 may be a unitary or one piece refractory member extending between the side Walls 29 and 30 or may be formed by a plurality of refractory sections arranged side-by-side and provided at their abutting surfaces with interlocking portions. In this connection, certain advantages have been found in the use of -a sectional tile, namely, shorter sections are more conveniently cast and cured, are adapted to easier handling and in stallation, and additionally permit more rapid replace ment in the event of breakage while in service. The advantages and novelty of the present invention are therefore directed to an improved mounting member for a unitary lip-tile and additionally are directed to the provision of means for effectively clamping several aligned sectional lip-tiles in substantially sealed, interlocking relation, with such novel mounting being equipped at one end with compressible means to absorb and compensate for end-wise expansion of the lip-tile in either form, either unitary or sectional, and to prevent separation thereof in the event of fracture.

One form of sectional lip-tile adapted for mounting in accordance with the invention i illustrated in FIG. 8. Essentially, this particular lip-tile section 45 is formed with suitably contoured top and bottom surfaces 46 and 47 respectively, a front surface 48, rear surface 49 and oppositely disposed side surfaces 50 and 51. To interfit or interlock the section 45 with like adjoining tiles, the side surface 50 is formed with a horizontally disposed ridge or tongue 52 while side surface 51 is recessed to form a groove 53 which is complementary to and interlocks with the tongue of an adjoining sectional tile. As will hereinafter become more apparent, the outwardly directed side wall surfaces of each of the outermost sectional lip-tiles is finished plain, without a respective tongue or groove. The corner of the tile section at the bottom surface 47 and rear surface 49 is formed to include a rabbetted portion 54 for mounting the rearward end of the lip-tile generally on the floor bricks 55 of the chamber 28 (FIG. 1). Also, each tile is formed with a longitudinal bore 56 through which a mounting element, generally designated by the numeral 60, extends; and in the event that a metal partition 42 is employed in the draw-pot chamber, a suitably formed groove is provided in the bottom surface 47 to receive the upper end of such partition.

With reference now particularly to FIGS. 6 and 7, the mounting element 60 includes an elongated support member or tube 61 having a cover sleeve 62 disposed thereabout along the central portion of the tube. In this respect, it will be seen that the sleeve 62 is of a length approximately equal to that of the bore 56 of lip-tile 35 or of the several sectional lip-tiles 45 so that the tube 61 projects outwardly from each end of the lip-tile 35 and sleeve 62 for adequate support on the main structure of the furnace and for the provision of a compressible thrust mechanism, generally designated by the numeral 63, at one end and a clamping or locating mechanism, generally designated by the numeral 64, at the opposite end.

The thrust mechanism 63 includes a fixed collar portion 68 formed with radially outwardly directed, diametrically opposed lugs 69 having annular bosses 70 on one or the inward surfaces thereof and openings or bores 71 formed therein, the axes of which are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube 61. The thrust mechanism 63 also includes a mobile or sliding portion comprising a ring 75 encircling the tube 61 and having flat wall surfaces 76 and 77 and a centrally disposed opening 78. A pair of annular sleeves 80 are secured to the wall surface 76 of the ring 75 at diametrically opposed point to provide sockets 81. Centrally within each socket 81, a rod 82 is threaded at one end to the ring 75 and provided with a transversely drilled hole 83 at its opposite or free end.

As viewed in FIGS. 5, 7, and 11, the clamping mechanism 64 comprises a clamping ring 85 and a bolt supporting clamping sleeve 86. The ring 85 is formed by a substantially vertically disposed, annular flat wall portion 87 having surfaces 88 and 89 and having an axially disposed bore or opening 90 therethrough. On one or the surface 88, the flat wall portion 87 is provided with a concentric wall 91, extending substantially perpendicularly to and outwardly of the ring 85, and formed with diametrically opposed, semicylindrical Walls 92 to define sockets 93. For purposes to be more fully hereinafter described, the wall surface 89 constitutes the flat bearing surface for the clamping ring 85 against an endmost surface of the lip-tile.

The clamping sleeve 86, on the other hand, is substantially a cup-shaped element defined by a cylindrical wall 95 and a radially inwardly directed flange 96 at one or the axially inwardly disposed end of the wall 95, the flange being provided with four notches 97 spaced equally about its inner circumference.

On the outer surface of ceive bolts 100. On the inner surface of the wall 95,

the sleeve is provided with four pairs of longitudinally disposed bars 101 formed integrally therewith and abutting the flange 96. Each pair of bars 101 forms a slot 102 spaced midway between each pair of adjacent notches 97 in the flange 96. Also, four anchor bars 103 are affixed to the outer surface of the tube 61 in longitudinal alignment with the axis of the tube and spaced equally about the circumference thereof.

In the assembly of the mounting 60 with a unitary liptile or one formed by a plurality of sectional tiles 45, the ring 75 is passed along the support tube 61 toward the fixed thrust member or collar 68. Coil springs 104 are then located in the sockets 81 defined by the annular sleeves and seated about the bosses 70 as the rods 82 are inserted through the bores 71 of lugs 69 and threaded into the ring 75. With the free ends of said rods projecting outwardly from the lugs 69, washers 105 are located thereon and cotter pins 106 are secured in the holes 83 to permit a certain degree of sliding movement of the plate 75 along the tube 61 relative to the collar 68 without actual separation therefrom. The cover sleeve 62 is provided with a wrapping of an insulating material, such as asbestos cloth 107, and is then inserted over the tube 61 and passed through the bore of a unitary lip-tile or an endmost sectional tile 108 (FIGS. 2 and 6) until an end thereof is in abutting engagement with the wall surface 77 of the ring 75 as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 6. Thereafter, the tube with the cover sleeve is passed through sectional tiles 45 with tongues 52 and grooves 53 thereof being fitted in suitable interlocking relation.

Upon insertion of the support member through a unitary lip-tile, or upon completed assembly of the sectional lip-tiles thereabout, the end of the tube 61 is passed through the-center opening or bore of the clamping ring 85 of the clamping mechanism 64. The clamping sleeve 86 is then passed over the end of the tube, turned to orient the notches 97 in registry with the four anchor bars 103 fixed to the surface of the tube, and then passed axially inwardly therebeyond as will be seen in FIG. 11 and as indicated by the arrow designated by the reference letter F. The sleeve 86 is now turned to locate the lugs 98 in a substantially horizontal plane with each of the slots 102 formed by the pairs of bars 101 in axially aligned relation with an anchor bar 103 on the tube 61. Thus, upon movement of the sleeve 86 in the direction of the arrow designated by the reference letter B, the bars 103 will be received in the respective slots 102 and in abutting engagement with the inner surface of the sleeve flange 96.

The bolts are now turned inwardly and their ends received in the sockets 93 of ring 85. Continued turning of the bolts axially locates the ring 85 relative to the tube 61 and sleeve 86 and applies sufficient force against one end surface of the lip-tile to compress the springs 104 between the ring 75 and the lugs 69 of collar 68 of the thrust mechanism 63. In the case of the unitary lip-tile, compression of the springs 104 only serves to resiliently retain the ring 75 firmly against the other end surface of the lip-tile. On the other hand, in the event a sectional lip-tile is employed, compression of the springs 104 additionally serves to force the opposed sides of the sectional tiles 45 into substantially complete and tightly sealed relation with one another. This application of axial force by means of the bolts 100 is of course due to the fixed nature of the sleeve 86, carrying the bolts 100, relative to the tube 61. It will be appreciated that by means of bolts 100, the opposite resultant force exerted by the springs 104 can be adjusted during the warming up phase of the furnace as well as during operation thereof.

In installing the rear lip-tile 35 in its position in the a) furnace, as viewed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the extreme ends of the tube 61 are equipped with hanger members 110 having apertured lugs 111 which receive pins 112 carried on support arms 113 by means of hanger member 114. One manner of adjustably mounting the support arms 113 is illustrated in FIG. 3 wherein it will be seen that the arm 113, on each side of the furnace, is equipped with at least one key 115 that is received in a suitable keyway provided in the bore of a swivel-block 116, such block being journaled for swinging movement in a pedestal 117 mounted on the external structure of the furnace. Between the hanger member 114 and the block 116, a bolt 118 having a cradle-shaped head 119 is provided to support the arm 113. The bolt 118 is mounted in a bracket 12%) on the pedestal 117 and is equipped with a nut 121 by means of Which the bolt can be adjusted upwardly or downwardly to raise or lower the lip-tile mounting 60 as the support arms are swung about the axis of the swivel-block 116. Each of the arms 113 can also be shifted relative to the swivel-block 116 and secured in the adjusted position by means of a set screw 122.

Accordingly, during installation of a rear lip-tile, the tile is initially located within the drawing chamber 28 and with the rabbetted corner 54 being placed on the adjacent floor bricks 55 as in FIG. 1. The pins 112 are inserted in the hanger members 111 and 114 to connect the mounting 60 to the support arms 113, on the opposite sides of the furnace. Through the use of nuts 121 on bolts 118, vertical adjustments in the setting of the liptile can be made to locate the latter in a substantially horizontal plane relative to both the longitudinal and transverse axes of the furnace. In this respect, shifting of the support arms 113 with reference to the swivelblocks 116 also aids in the positioning of the lip-tile on the floor bricks 55 as well as transversely between the side walls 29 and 30 of the drawing chamber 28.

As the lip-tile 35 becomes heated to the normal operating temperature maintained in the drawing chamber, and preparatory to the actual drawing of the glass ribbon, the side walls 29 and 30 in the vicinity of the ends of the mounting are closed by suitable brickwork, and to permit access to either of the clamping members 63 or 64, sleeves 125 are installed in the walls. During heating of the liptile and during operation of the furnace, expansion will be experienced in the over-all length of the lip-tile and also in the size of the bore there-through. For this reason, as seen in FIG. 12, the total diameter of the mounting member 60, including the wrapping of insulation material 107 is less than the diameter of the bore. This insulation serves to both reduce the transmission of heat from the lip-tile to the member 60 and simultaneously prevent any major cooling effect on the lip-tile by the member. In this connection, the mounting member 60 is maintained at a desired lower temperature by the introduction of a coolant, such as water, into the tube 61. For this purpose, one end of the tube, as shown in FIG. 6, is provided with a manifold cap .130 through which a coolant inflow pipe 131 is inserted into the tube 61, with a drain connection 132 opening into the interior of the cap itself. The pipe 131 extends substantially the length of the tube 61, terminating closely adjacent the opposite end which is sealed by a threaded plug 133, and is supported therein by means of spacers 134.

It is thus believed apparent that the novel mounting assembly in accordance with the invention enables expansion of the lip-tile during service without fracture thereof, and further that such expansion can be thereafter quickly and easily compensated for and relieved by retracting the bolts 100 and thus adjusting the location of the clamping ring axially relative to the support tube 61 to reduce the compressive force of the springs 104. Also during operation of the furnace, the bolts .1110 can be advanced or tightened as desired to suit the actual working conditions. Further, and very importantly, in the event of fractures developing in the body of the lip-tile, the springs of the clamping mechanism 63 will exert and maintain sufficient pressure thereon to urge the lip-tile bodily against the clamping mechanism 6-1 thereby insuring that the portions thereof adjacent the separations or cracks will be forced together to prevent the undesired escape of gases through the lip-tile.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for producing sheet glass, an elongated refractory lip tile having an opening extending longitudinally therethrough, and means for supporting said lip-tile comprising an elongated support member extending through said opening and projecting at its opposite ends beyond the ends of said lip-tile, means carried by said support member adjacent one end of said lip-tile for axially locating said lip-tile relative to said support member, and compressible means carried by said support member adjacent the other end of said lip-tile for resiliently urging said lip-tile into engagement with said locating means.

2. In apparatus for producing sheet glass, an elongated refractory lip-tile having an opening extending longitudinally therethrough, and means for supporting said lip-tile comprising an elongated support member extending through said opening. and projecting at its opposite ends beyond the ends of said lip-tile, means carried by said support member adjacent one end of said lip-tile for axially locating said lip-tile relative to said support member, and compressible means carried by said support member and acting between said member and the other end of said lip-tile for resiliently urging said lip-tile int-o engagement with said locating means while simultaneously permitting longitudinal expansion of the lip-tile.

3. Apparatus for producing sheet glass in accordance with claim 2, in which said compressible means comprises at least one spring.

4. Apparatus for producing sheet glass in accordance with claim 2, in which said lip-tile comprises a plurality of individual refractory sections arranged side-by-side in contact with each other.

5. Apparatus for producing sheet glass in accordance with claim 2, in which said compressible means comprises a collar fixed to said support member, a ring encircling said support member and adapted for sliding movement therealong axially inwardly of said collar, and spring means acting between said collar and said ring for resiliently urging the latter into engagement with said other end of said lip-tile.

6. Apparatus for producing sheet glass in accordance with claim 2, in which said locating means comprises a clamping ring encircling said support member and adapted for sliding movement therealong, a sleeve spaced axially outwardly of said clamping ring and fixed on said support member against axial movement away from said ring, and adjustable means acting between said sleeve and said ring for maintaining the latter in a preselected position relative to said sleeve in engagement with said one end of said lip-tile,

7. Apparatus for producing sheet glass in accordance with claim 2, in which said support member is tubular and means are provided for internally cooling said tubular support member.

8. In apparatus for producing sheet glass, an elongated refractory lip-tile having a substantially centrally disposed bore extending longitudinally therethrough, and means for supporting said lip-tile comprising an elongated support member extending through said opening and projecting at its opposite ends beyond the ends of said lip-tile, a collar aflixed to the outer surface of said support member adjacent one end thereof and having a plurality of bores therethrough the axes of which are parallel to the axis of said support member, a ring concentric with and encircling said support member inwardly of said collar and adapted for sliding movement along the outer surface of said member, a plurality of rods each of which is secured at its inner end to said ring and extends through a different bore in said collar for sliding movement therein, said rods being provided with means adjacent their outer ends to prevent-movement of said ends through said bores, a plurality of springs located between said collar and said ring in surrounding relationship to said rods and resiliently urging said ring inwardly into bearing engagement with said one end of said lip-tile, a clamping ring concentric with and encircling said support member for sliding movement therealong in clamping engagement with the other end of said lip-tile, a clamping sleeve spaced axially outwardly of said clamping ring, means for fixing said clamping sleeve on said support member to prevent axial movement there-of away from said clamping ring, and adjustable means acting between said clamping sleeve and said clamping ring for maintaining the latter in a preselected position relative to said sleeve and thus regulating the compressional force on said lip-tile as exerted by said springs.

9. Apparatus for producing sheet glass in accordance with claim 8, in which a plurality of sockets are provided about said clamping ring, and said adjustable means includes a plurality of bolts in threaded engagement with said clamping sleeve and extending into said sockets.

10. Apparatus for producing sheet glass in accordance with claim 8, in which said lip-tile comprises a plurality of individual refractory sections arranged side-by-side in contact with each other.

11. Apparatus for producing sheet glass in accordance with claim 8, in which said support member is tubular and means are provided for internally cooling said tubular support member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 849,917 4/1907 McLean 23835 1,610,103 12/1926 Mambourg 65-202 1,692,673 11/ 1928 Mambourg 65--202 1,791,656 2/ 1931 Brancart 52-228 DONALL H. SYLVESTER, Primary Examiner.

D. CRUPAIN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCINT SHEET GLASS, AN ELONGATED REFRACTORY LIP-TILE HAVING AN OPENING EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THERETHROUGH, AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID LIP-TILE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED SUPPORT MEMBER EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OPENING AND PROJETING AS ITS OPPOSITE ENDS BEYOND THE ENDS OF SAID LIP-TILE, MEANS CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT MEMBER ADJACENT ONE END OF SAID LIP-TILE FOR AXIALLY LOCATING SAID LIP-TILE RELATIVE TO SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, SAID COMPRESSIBLE MEANS CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT MEMBER ADJACENT THE OTHER END OF SAID LIP-TILE FOR RESILIENTLY URGING SAID LIP-TILE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LOCAING MEANS. 